ASFPM removes EMI Independent Study Courses from pre-approved CEC List
ASFPM staff became aware earlier this year that anyone can take an Independent Study (ISP) course exam from EMI and earn a certificate without having to open the course or view any of the course materials. This is true for all ISP courses whether it is 1 hour long or 10 hrs long. This "loophole" has been confirmed with EMI. They allow students to "test out" of a course and don't have a way to differentiate those that follow that process vs watching all course content.
As such, at our Spring meeting last month, CBOR discussed this issue at length and voted to discontinue EMI's ISP catalog for CECs. In order to maintain the integrity of the Program, CBOR felt it was necessary to not allow people to possibly submit credit for courses that were not actually completed. The time spent learning and of continuing one's education is a core component of renewal, not the ability to test out of a particular subject.
Effective May 1, 2024, ASFPM will no longer award CECs for any ISP courses completed after that date. This change only applies to individuals that are seeking to earn CECs under the CFM Program and does not apply or impact any students taking ISP courses to satisfy EMI course prerequisites.